“Hey, Palan?” Raea asked. The two were sitting on the peak of a moving mountain of earth behind the charging centaurs. The centaurs could’ve easily ridden the mountain as well, but they insisted on running. The harpies were flying in the air above the cloud of dirt the mountain was kicking up. The slower halflings—goblins, lizardmen, trolls, and dwarves—were spread throughout the mountain, waiting in front of cannons.

“Hmm?”

“Isn’t that Linda’s carriage?” Raea asked and pointed off into the distance. “I don’t think anyone else would sport the Bael family symbol like that.”

Palan scratched his chin. “She was the angel who Cleo was with, right?” He shouted up at Cory. “Bring the people inside the carriage to me. Don’t kill them.”

“Can I frighten them?” Cory asked and tilted her head.

“Yeah, just bring them here,” Palan said. “Try not to hurt them either.”

“Okay,” Cory said with a nod. She shrieked, causing a swarm of harpies to form around her. They flew ahead of the centaurs and mobbed the carriage. Red lightning rained down from the sky, setting it ablaze. Raea blinked at the sight.

“That’s called trying not to hurt them?” she asked and furrowed her brow. The carriage fell apart as the harpies ripped off the planks holding it together, revealing three panicking figures. The harpies screeched and smacked them a few times with their wings, dazing them into submission.

“Stop! I’m on your side!” Cleo shouted. “You’re the rebels, right? I’ve been enslaved by these two angels while on a secret mission! I need your help.”

Cory blinked at Cleo. “Sure,” she said. “But I still have to take you to our leaders.” She nodded at Linda and Headmaster. “We’re taking you as well. Don’t struggle please, or we might drop you accidentally on purpose.”

Linda bit her lower lip. The remains of her carriage were spread around her, crackling and burning. “My carriage…,” she said and hung her head. She didn’t struggle as a harpy grabbed her by her shoulders and flew into the air.

Headmaster sighed as he raised his arms to the side, letting two harpies grab his arms and lift him up. “I suppose I could talk my way out,” he muttered to himself. “The leader was Solra? Maybe if I offered him some alcohol…”

Cory swooped down and grabbed Cleo. “Hey,” Cleo said as her feet left the ground. “Do you happen to know someone named Raea?”

“The harbinger?” Cory asked and raised an eyebrow. She took a second look at the orange lizardman with blue stripes in her talons.

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Harbinger? Isn’t that what Sally used to call Raea? Cleo nodded. “Yeah, you know her?”

“Yup,” Cory said. “I’m her best friend. I’m actually taking you to see her right now.”

Best friend? Cleo furrowed her brow. What happened in the short time they were separated? Her eyes widened as the flock of harpies flew over the base of the mountain, heading for the peak. At the midpoint, a massive structure was being assembled. Pyre was shouting orders to dwarves, hobgoblins, and emaciated angels with slave collars around their necks. Palan had turned down Akurel’s offer because Pyre said it’d be better to have Akurel’s men as labor rather than have the general’s altruism.

“What is that?” Cleo asked and pointed at the cylindrical object.

“Oh,” Cory said. “That’s something the new commander’s making. That’s him right there.” She released one of Cleo’s arms—causing the lizardman’s stomach to drop—and pointed at Pyre. Cleo didn’t look down as she grabbed Cory’s leg with her free arm. “He says it’s supposed to break down the walls.”

“Greatnowpleasedon’tdropme,” Cleo said in one breath, her legs flailing in the air as they instinctively sought purchase.

Cory blinked and glanced at her free leg. “Oops,” she said and wrapped her talon around Cleo’s shoulder again. “Well, we’re almost there. See the harbinger?” She let go again and pointed at Raea, causing Cleo to spew out a string of curses.

“Cleo’s as lively as usual,” Raea said and turned her head to hear the cursing lizardman more clearly.

Palan nodded. A strange feeling tickled his chest. It was similar to what he felt after seeing Andrea safe and sound after a long day of hunting. His brow furrowed as Cory flew overhead and dropped Cleo onto the ground. Moments later, Linda and the headmaster fell beside her.

“Palan! Raea!” Cleo scrambled to her feet and tackled Palan, burying her head against his chest. Palan’s torso-mouth opened up and swallowed the lizardman’s head. “Bueh!?”

Cleo’s limbs and tails flailed around as she struggled to get free. Palan pried open his torso-mouth, and Cleo tumbled backwards onto her butt. “What the heck was that!?” she asked as she clawed away the slobber from her face. “Ah! Danger Noodle multiplied!” Her eyes widened as her gaze shifted between Palan and Raea. “And Raea became more … scaly. It looks good.” She stuck her thumbs into the air. She pouted. “If I hugged you, will your stomach try to eat me too?”

Raea laughed with a smile on her face. “No,” she said and opened her arms. “Come here.” Cleo tackled Raea and used her shirt to wipe away the remaining liquid on her face.

“I’m glad you’re safe,” Cleo said. Cory landed beside them and tilted her head.

“You know her?” she asked Palan, gesturing at Cleo.

Palan nodded. “She’s a friend,” he said. “A very useful friend.”

“What about me?” Linda asked and pursed her lips.

“Acquaintance,” Palan said.

Linda scratched her head. “I guess that’s fair,” she said and sighed.

“And me?” Headmaster asked.

Palan raised an eyebrow. “Weren’t you the one who imprisoned Raea?” he asked.

The headmaster let out a dry laugh. “You must be mistaken,” he said and cleared his throat. “I’m Chloe’s bestest friend.”

“My name’s Cleo,” Cleo said, breaking away from Raea’s embrace. She pointed at the headmaster. “He’s a bully! He kidnapped me. And she’s a bully too.” Cleo puffed her cheeks out and crossed her arms over her chest.

Linda gulped as Raea glared at her. “W-what are you going to do to us?”

“I guess we can just give them to Pyre, right?” Palan asked Raea.

“Yeah, but we should go easy on Linda,” Raea said. “She did help us after all.” Her eyes narrowed at the headmaster. “As for him … he can solve puzzles until the day he dies.”

“I think I’d rather be given to Pyre, thank you very much,” the headmaster said. He smiled at Cleo and Linda. “Isn’t it great how this all worked out? I’m a genius.”